Dream No More of Me, My Love
by Kanna37
Summary: The quest is over, the Shikon gone, and Kagome's back home in her era. But from the day she got back, she's been having dreams about a certain Inu... Perhaps fate isn't finished with her yet?
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

---oOo---

_It's time._

That thought rang through his mind, over and over, and the elegant Inu let it echo everywhere within his being - after all, he'd been waiting for five hundred years to get his claws into the female he'd decided would be his, and even for a youkai that's several thousand years old, that's a long time to wait for something.

Especially when you want it to distraction.

Mattaki stared out over the great city of Tokyo, and his eyes unerringly closed on the Higurashi shrine. Even from across the city, he knew exactly where it was - he could feel her aura from here.

With an inward chuckle, he wondered what his sons were going to think when they found out just who his next - and final - mate was going to be.

Sesshoumaru would probably shrug - after all, he'd mated Rin centuries ago, and had stayed faithful to the small human woman ever since. They were still happy, even after five hundred years together.

Inuyasha, though... he'd probably have problems with it.

Not that the whelp had anything to say, after all - he was with Kikyou. Much as he loved his son, he still wasn't too fond of the former miko. There was just something about her...

It could be, of course, the way she'd treated the object of his affections - the Shikon Miko herself, Higurashi Kagome.

Oh, yes, he knew all about everything that had happened between Inuyasha, Kikyou, and Kagome - from the moment that Kagome had pulled the Tessaiga from it's resting place inside his remains, he'd been a silent observer to everything that had happened on the quest for the jewel.

Tessaiga, as a part of him, had carried his spirit and consciousness from the moment of his death, and so he'd been a part of the groups travels as much as any of the rest of them.

He'd watched her fall in love with his son, watched as Inuyasha had hurt her over and over, and watched as she had finally fallen back _out_ of love with the boy, though she'd always cared for him.

That's why she'd made the wish that she had.

She'd returned Kikyou to the hanyou, just after dropping down the well for the last time - so that she wouldn't be trapped in the feudal era once the jewel was gone.

It had worked - the former miko had indeed been brought back to life, right there near the well, with Inuyasha still standing there - along with Sesshoumaru, and the rest of the group.

But it had also had the unexpected effect of bringing him back.

Apparently, with the power of the jewel focused on bringing life back to one of the dead, the proximity of the well, another power source, Tensaiga, with it's affinity for returning a spirit to its body, and his own consciousness and spirit stored within the Tessaiga itself, a magical cocktail of enormous proportions had catapulted him back into the land of the living...

And he'd never looked back.

He'd already been in love with Kagome at that point, having spent the three years of the quest being around her, though of course she had never known of it, but had been resigned to never having the chance to do anything about his feelings, due to his non-corporeal form.

But the moment he'd taken his first breath, he'd known that one day, five hundred years away or not, he'd have her.

And now, that day was finally here.

He was nothing if not determined, but he'd decided that his patience would probably be all run out by the time the five hundred years had passed, and so, he set about figuring out how to woo a female across the abyss of time. That way, he wouldn't have to start at the beginning after waiting for so long, she'd already be receptive to him, and his advances.

He was, admittedly, taking shortcuts...

It had taken about two hundred years, but he'd finally figured it out - and he'd spent the next several hundred years of his own wait time romancing her...

In her dreams.

Time was certainly a funny thing - and easily manipulated, if you knew what you were doing, and the great Dog General _always_ made sure that he knew what he was doing.

Because of that, Kagome was already halfway in love with him, even though she thought it was all in her dreams.

He chuckled. "And now your dreams, and mine, are about to become reality, sweet Kagome..." he said softly.

Yes, Inuyasha would probably have a fit...

But he really didn't care. She would be his by the time Inuyasha returned to Tokyo, and the boy would just have to accept it.

---oOo---

Kagome sighed as she woke, unwillingly pulling herself from her dreams.

She sat up, pulling her knees to her and wrapping her arms around herself as she did so, to stare out her bedroom window into the morning light. It was a beautiful day, obviously, but it couldn't touch her.

At least, not enough.

She'd returned through the well for the last time two weeks ago, and while that was part of her sadness, surprisingly, it was only a small part.

Ever since she'd been back, she'd been having certain dreams. When she thought about it, every aspect of those dreams was disturbing. But she couldn't bring herself to care that it was... she wanted those dreams to be true with a fierceness that dismayed her.

And even though it had only been two weeks, it seemed as though she'd been dreaming those dreams forever.

The strangest part of it all, was that she was dreaming of Inuyasha's _father_... someone she'd never met. She had seen him the one time, sort of, when they'd fought Sou'unga, but he'd been a spirit, and not fully visible - she'd had an impression of power, and she'd felt the almost..._ purity _of his aura, but that was it.

So she couldn't understand why her subconscious was bringing him up in the fashion that it was.

That she was lonely, she knew. She'd loved and lost Inuyasha, and after being around youkai, and seeing the things that she had, not to mention doing the things that she'd done, a normal human male just didn't suit her.

Perhaps that was the true problem - she was a miko, and as such, held a power that no other human now living had. So... no human male could ever really hope to be her equal.

For that, she needed a male of power... and the only ones would be youkai. If they even still existed, and she wasn't sure they did. If they _were_ still around, they were in hiding, and that didn't help her any.

All around her, her human friends were finding relationships and making lives for themselves... but because of who she was, she was handicapped. She couldn't do the same.

But even with that understanding of herself, and her predicament, she couldn't figure out why her mind had picked _Inuyasha's father _to dream about. Why not a demon male that she'd actually met?

She sighed and her nose wrinkled as her alarm clock woke her from her reflections. Reaching over, she shut it off, then stretched and climbed out of bed.

Time to dress, and face the day.

Since she'd come back permanently, she'd taken over a great deal of the responsibilities of running the shrine day-to-day from her grandfather. He was getting on in years, and it was difficult for him to run such a large shrine alone.

She was a miko, so she decided that she may as well perform the duties of one.

She pulled her clothes from the closet, and had to laugh a little when she thought about a certain hanyou's reaction should he have seen how she spent most of her days dressed now...

He'd always hated it when she'd worn the traditional clothing of a miko, since it reminded him too much of his beloved Kikyou.

_Oh, well... not like he's around anymore for it to bother - and besides, I gave him Kikyou back, so he probably wouldn't care what I dressed like anymore, anyway. _

Her mind abruptly wandered to what her dream demon would have thought of her get-up, but then she yanked herself away from such thoughts - it was counter-productive to want what she couldn't have, and she definitely couldn't have a male that had been dead for seven hundred years or so.

Not to mention, one who wouldn't know her from any other pathetic human female even if he_ were _alive.

Another flash of loneliness and pain crashed through her. _So how did my mind convince me that I'm falling in love with someone I've never met, and never will? _She shook her head. _ I'm losing it..._

_I have to be._

Little did she know how much her life was about to change.

---oOo---

With breakfast over, she stepped out of the house, breathing in the cool, sweet morning air, and walked slowly up the steps to the main shrine from the house.

Her grandfather was already inside, and Kagome was pretty sure that most of today's activities would wrap around cleaning - she certainly wasn't looking forward to that. The only good thing about that was that on the days they cleaned, the shrine remained closed to visitors.

_That's why gramps only has us do cleaning twice a month... he doesn't want to lose the income for closing it anymore than that._

But at least she wouldn't have to concentrate on visitors and tourists today - she was too distracted by thoughts of her dreams, and cleaning the shrine was simple busy-work, leaving her mind free to wander.

And wander it did... to a beautiful Inu Lord. Seeing him in her dreams, though, made her wonder, how had he looked in life?

Was he just as tall as he was in her dreams? His hair as long, tied in a top-knot, and soft as silk? Had his eyes truly been the ever-shifting gold they were in her imagination?

She let out a sudden sound of distress, and threw the dusting rag she had been using down, then stared at it for a full minute before turning and walking out of the building. She felt smothered, as though she was trapped, it felt difficult to draw air, and she needed to get outside... now.

It was almost like having a panic attack, and before she knew it, she found herself hunched against the trunk of the Goshinboku. It had always been her safe haven, no matter which era she'd been in, and now was no different, when she felt hounded by her dreams and the longings that they were bringing to life within her.

She sat at the foot of the tree for some time, she was never sure, afterwards, how long she drifted inside herself, there in the soft breeze and sunlight, soothed by her dream-lover.

It seemed that those dreams were the only times she was even happy, anymore, and with her lost in them at this point, she was actually smiling.

And that was where Mattaki spoke his first words to Kagome outside of dreams.

---oOo---

A/N: After I finished my first Inupapa/Kagome pairing, a full length action-adventure/romance, The Longest Journey, several people that enjoyed it asked if I planned to write another story with this pairing. I, personally, have a huge crush on Inupapa, and so my answer to that was yes - though I had nothing specific in mind at that time.

This little short romance came to me last week, and has hounded me near to death to get it finished. At this point, all but the epilogue is finished, and I'll be finishing that today. Because of that, I will post two chapters a week on this story. Hopefully, everyone enjoys this little short story.

Amber


	2. Part Two

**Part 2**

---oOo---

"I can see why you come here when you need peace... it is a beautiful spot."

Kagome's eyes widened as she was pulled from her little fantasy by a voice that sounded exactly like the one that she'd just been hearing in her daydream. She jerked her head up to look around, and when she laid her eyes on the male that had spoken, she paled...

It was him.

The one in her dreams - he looked and sounded exactly as he did those dreams.

_This isn't possible!_

She almost flung herself back against the tree behind her. "W-who are y-you?" she stuttered in a high, panicky voice. "How did you get here? The shrine is closed, no one's supposed to be here!"

Mattaki wanted to smile at her reaction - she looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. "I am well aware of that, Kagome - that is why I chose to come today. So that we would not be interrupted."

Her eyes widened almost comically. "How do you know my name?!" she squeaked out, as her hands clutched the tree behind her.

He chuckled at that. "You told me yourself, remember? The first time we met... right here beneath the Goshinboku. You were remembering Inuyasha."

She froze, staring at him for several long moments, and then her shoulders slumped dejectedly. "Ne. I've gone crazy and now I'm seeing things," she said resignedly. Looking down at her hands, she sighed. "What a fate. I survive all those years of Naraku and the Sengoku Jidai, only to come home and lose my mind dreaming about Inuyasha's father."

At that, he threw back his head and laughed. It took a few, but once he got himself under control, which was admittedly difficult with her reproachful face staring at him, he shook his head.

"You haven't gone crazy, little miko, I promise you that. I am Mattaki, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's father - and your wish brought me back to life the same as it brought Kikyou back."

She blinked. _What?_

"Uhhh... so, I'm not imagining you standing there?"

"No, I'm afraid not," he chuckled.

Kagome considered him for a moment, head tilted suspiciously. Something occurred to her, then, as she met his eyes. Frowning, she said, "Hey... wait a minute. What do you mean I told you my name when we met here - that was a dream... wasn't it?"

At that, Mattaki sighed, and moved to sit on the small bench placed beneath the sacred tree. "Yes, and no. It was a dream world - but we were both there, and neither of us were dreams ourselves. Everything that happened there, really happened."

She paled, then flushed as she took in what he was saying. _"Everything?" _she squeaked.

He flashed her a rather wicked grin. "_Everything_, little miko."

She slid down the trunk and landed on her butt. "Oh, boy," she whispered. _I think I'm in trouble. _"Uhm... why?"

He knew immediately what she was asking, and his smile softened. "Because I am an impatient Inu... and I didn't want to wait for five hundred years to begin courting you. So I found a way to do so in our dreams."

Kagome almost felt feverish with the confusion of what had happened in the last few minutes, but she couldn't help her eyes being drawn to the ethereally beautiful male sitting just a few feet from her.

He was obviously relaxed, one knee higher than the other with an arm draped casually over it as the breeze played with strands of his silver hair.

She took him in from head to toe - glowing silver strands caught in a top-knot, the old-fashioned hairstyle suited him to a 'T', there was no denying that. Chunky bangs framed golden eyes that put true gold to shame, and deep blue jagged cheek stripes caressed high cheekbones. An elegant, aristocratic nose set above full but masculine lips, and a forceful, almost pointed chin completed the face of her dream male.

His clothing was obviously expensive, portraying understated elegance - it suited him well, and was a very tasteful frame for a body that a model would kill for.

Tall, just as in her dreams, powerful but not bulky, he looked as though her were in his late twenties... he was every woman's ideal male, and Kagome couldn't help the stirrings of arousal as she took him in.

Mattaki sniffed discreetly, and was most pleased with the scent that began to lightly tinge the air around them - arousal. She was most definitely attracted to him.

_Wait... _

"Courting?" she asked, flabbergasted.

He nodded. "Hai. That is what I said."

She shook her head, almost as if to clear it, and blinked. "Maybe we should go in the house and talk. I'm beginning to have a _lot _of questions."

He stood immediately and offered her a hand, pulling her up as soon as the dainty appendage was encased in his own. He squeezed it lightly before reluctantly letting it go.

"I will answer every single one to the best of my ability, Kagome," he promised.

---oOo---

Kagome sat back, and stared ahead of herself, considering everything Mattaki had just told her. It was a lot to take in... and yet, conversely, it wasn't. She'd already had an inkling of his feelings, and her own, from her so-called dreams.

It was just that that's all they had been, to her. Dreams. So it was a bit difficult to jump from there, into the fact that they were reality - and an impatient Inu's way of courting her.

Not that she was going to complain, either. With a sideways glance at the handsome male to her left, she smiled a little.

He wanted her. He _had_ wanted her for five hundred years. That was something that told her he wasn't going to get tired of her and wander off with some other woman - if he'd held her in his heart for five centuries, it wasn't likely that she was going to be leaving it anytime soon.

Talk about faithfulness... her smile widened a little more as she thought about it.

Was this whole thing really an issue? She knew what this being had made her feel, even if it had been in a dream world, and it certainly hadn't changed for the fact that he was actually sitting with her, as real as she herself was.

She wanted him, and everything he was offering - and after everything she'd been through, she was not willing to pass this chance by.

It was time to take something for herself...

"So... if I accept you, what happens?" she asked quietly.

He turned to look at her, then, watching silently as a slight flush tinted her cheeks. After a moment, he said, "I want it all, Kagome, I will settle for nothing less. And by all, I mean you, as my mate - as my other half, for eternity. I will never take another... and neither will you." He held her gaze, a serious expression in his eyes. "I have already waited five hundred years for you - and I will wait as long as I must."

Kagome completely melted at his declaration. She'd longed for someone to love her just this way for so long - she certainly wasn't willing to settle for anything less - but she also was a fair being. After all, she could have taken Hojo - he had wanted her the same way for years himself - but she couldn't return his feelings.

Mattaki was different - she _could_ return his. She had already started to do so, and she knew that her feelings weren't going to go away, so she saw no point in dragging things along, and waiting.

She was ready now.

With a soft, glowing look at the inhumanly gorgeous male still holding her gaze, she nodded in acquiescence, and spoke, sealing both their fates.

"I understand what you want... and I want it to. I'd be lying if I said I didn't."

He searched her eyes for several long moments, and then a truly happy smile spread across his face, and lit his eyes. "You know this means that I will take you home with me and bind us this night, do you not?"

She blushed, and looked down, but nodded, a small smile dimpling her cheeks. "Hai... I know." Then her breath hitched, and she swallowed heavily, suddenly nervous. "Just... be gentle? I am still a virgin, you know," she whispered, a bit embarrassed to be saying such things aloud.

He chuckled as he stood and pulled her into his arms, almost more excited than he could stand to finally, truly be touching her. "I am well aware of that, my miko - your innocent scent is very arousing."

He lowered his head and nuzzled into her neck, inhaling deeply, then said, huskily, "However... I will very much enjoy taking that innocent scent, and changing it - twining it with my own. Your sweetness, combined with my own innate scent will be absolutely divine, of that I have no doubt."

_Oh... that's... he's talking about... _her thoughts trailed off into random impressions when he finally lowered his head and took her lips as his own.

_Mmmmm..._ her mind and body hummed delightedly at the feel of the male holding her so tightly in his arms - he fit to her like they were two parts of the same creation, and that fact only confirmed for her that this was where she was supposed to be.

It only lasted a few seconds before he raised his head, smiling contentedly down at her. "Come, koi, perhaps we should sit down and keep a respectable distance between us for the moment - I hear someone approaching the house."

Kagome's eyes widened, and she flushed, embarrassed. "Oh, kami! My family... I forgot that my grandpa is just out in the shrine... and that's probably mom coming back from her shopping." She turned and sat down on the couch, smoothing her miko outfit nervously as she watched him sit next to her.

He cocked a brow at her and grinned. "I must say, seeing you in traditional miko clothing is comforting - while I would enjoy you in today's clothing, I think I would probably be jealous of all the other males seeing you that way. At least this way, you are covered."

She rolled her eyes, but her nerves grabbed her again as she heard her mother step into the house.

"How do I explain this to her?" she whispered, suddenly unsure.

He shook his head, amused. "You don't. You let me do it - and you stop worrying. You are of age to take a mate without permission, so there is nothing stopping us, though I doubt your mother will try. She wants you to be happy."

_Yes... that's true. Mama would never deny me anything that my heart really wanted... _

---oOo---

A/N: Special recognition and thanks to Moonprincess1989 for the first review on this story!


	3. Part Three

**Part 3**

---oOo---

_Wow... that went better than I thought it would._

Kagome had been sent upstairs to begin packing at least her essentials while Mattaki and her mother continued speaking.

_Who woulda thought?_

Surprisingly, her mother hadn't flipped out at Mattaki's presence, or his revelations. Instead, she'd said that she had always known that her daughter's fate would be extraordinary.

She was also very pleased with the inu. As far as she was concerned, Kagome deserved a man that was devoted only to her - in the later months of her daughter's time in the past, she'd moved away from wanting to see her and Inuyasha work their problems out.

It just wasn't fair to expect her daughter to always be placed behind another - and as far as she was concerned, if this male had remained faithful to his desire for her for five hundred years, she wouldn't even think of getting in their way.

Kagome looked around her room for a moment, thinking of what else she might need in the immediate future, but it looked like she'd gotten what was needed, so, with a sigh, she turned to her bed, and picked up one suitcase, then another, and began heading down the stairs.

Stopping in her doorway, she looked back at her room nostalgically.

_When I woke up this morning, I had no idea that last night would be the last night I ever spent here... and now, just a couple hours later, I'm moving out - moving on to my future._

_It came so fast..._

One last panicked thought flashed through her mind - _am I really, truly ready for this?_ And then Mattaki came up the stairs, followed by her lightly laughing mother, and as he saw her and smiled, that panic resolved itself.

_Yes. I am ready for this. Even though it's only seemed like he was in my mind for two weeks, it's actually been much longer. _She scowled briefly as she looked at the ground. _I hate time paradoxes. But he's been sending dreams at me for several hundred years - they've just been condensed into two rather intense weeks. _

_Thinking of it that way, I've had the longest courtship that there's probably ever been._

"Is that all, Kagome, or is there more?" he asked, and she nodded, smiling up at him.

"There's more." He walked past her and into the room, as did her mother, and as she started down the stairs, she was the front of a luggage train. She chuckled.

Then something occurred to her, and she dropped her bags by the front door, spinning around to stare at her mother and the inu with dismay.

"I completely forgot grandpa and the shrine! I can't leave - he can't run things by himself, and this is cleaning day!"

At that, Mattaki grinned. "Ah. About that... I took the liberty of hiring someone to help and introduced him to your grandfather when I spoke to him earlier - before I came to find you." When her eyes widened, he shook his head, knowing what her concern was.

"His salary is paid by me, Kagome, do not worry. Your grandfather agreed to this when he gave me his blessing to speak to you."

She blushed, then nodded. "Okay... so... where do I put all this?"

"If you would like to put what you are carrying down, I can take all of it to my car in one quick trip," he said, flashing her a charming smile. She didn't argue, immediately putting her suitcases down, as did her mother, though she looked a bit skeptical.

When he grabbed them easily and swung them all over his shoulders and disappeared in a streak of light, her mother's eyes widened.

"Inu youkai, mom... they are _all_ like that. Even Inuyasha - and he's only _half. _ Don't worry about it," she chuckled at the amazed look on her mother's face.

Shaking her head with a grin, she led her mother back into the house to wait for Mattaki.

_What a day this has been!_

---oOo---

"So... where do you live?"

Mattaki shot her an amused glance, then looked back at the road. "_We _live just outside of Tokyo - I have a great deal of land there that I started buying up about three hundred years ago or so. I like the privacy it gives me, and there's plenty of room for my true form to roam, as well."

Kagome's eyes lit up with excitement, and she clapped her hands together. "Can I see you in your true form?"

He chuckled. _Already, she lightens my heart with her joy in simple things. _"Yes - but not today. Perhaps tomorrow."

"Okay." Then the other part of his statement - specifically, the 'we' part of things, as in, _we together own, _kicked in, and she flushed, her eyes widening as something finally occurred to her. "You... you're rich, aren't you?" she asked, and he shot her a glance at the hesitancy of her question.

"I suppose that you could say that - why, does that bother you?"

"Well... yes, and no," she said quietly. "I mean, money is just money, but... I don't want people to think I'm with you for it."

"Does it matter what others think? You and I, and those who are important will know the truth. Who cares what the rest of the world thinks?"

_That's true... but - he hasn't said anything about his sons... I know that if he's alive, then at least Sesshoumaru should be - though I don't know about Inuyasha. And if they are, what will they think?_

"What about Sesshoumaru? We never got along too well - and he didn't like humans much... well, except Rin," she said, a small smile lighting her face.

He cocked a brow, and laughed. "Yes... he _does_ like Rin a great deal - he would have to, since they've been together for five hundred years."

Kagome gasped, and turned to stare at him in shock. "Y-you mean... he and _Rin_? _Married_?!"

"Yes. Though they were mated for many years before they bothered with marriage - in fact, they only did that this last century, and only because of the human laws." He cast a sidelong look at her. "And he doesn't hate humans - he doesn't have much use for most of them, but certain ones... you'd be surprised what he thought of you. He mentioned once that if he'd not already met Rin, he might have been tempted to court _you."_

Kagome, so shocked she could only blink, stared at him for several long moments. She couldn't even get her voice to function. _No way!_

He laughed again at the look on her face. "He came to greatly respect your power, and your strength of will. Not to mention you _are _very attractive." His smile faded then.

"But I think most of it was the fact that you gained the jewel, and then wished on it for someone elses benefit. You didn't try to keep its power for yourself. That you relied on your own power, and didn't wish to take an easy route to gain more... well, that_ is _the same reason he never wanted it."

Kagome thought about that for a while. She'd never really thought about taking the jewel and keeping it for herself. The truth was, while everyone always knew that it drew youkai seeking power, no one really paid attention to the fact that humans could also use it - though in a different way. While youkai could use the shards to increase their own power, humans would have to make a wish on the completed jewel - but it was still power, no matter which way you used it.

But she'd never even once thought of using it for herself. There just wasn't anything that she wanted, that she couldn't get on her own. And frankly, she'd rather it that way - if she got something, she wanted it to be because she'd done it herself with her own power, not with someone elses borrowed power.

"I guess... it's funny, you know?" she finally said, her voice soft. "That was always one thing I respected about him. Of all the youkai I ever met, he was the only one that didn't want it. He was content to rely on his own strength." She frowned slightly.

"And then there was Kouga. Though he used the jewel, and at first, wanted more shards, he ended up being the only youkai that lived through all that mess that ever managed to give them up of his own free will. The jewel never managed to corrupt him. I respected that - it showed that he had a good heart."

Mattaki nodded. He'd met Kouga, and agreed with her. He was a good person to have at your back, too. Of course, it was a good thing he'd managed to get over Kagome and find his own mate.

"We're almost there... when we come around this bend in the road, look to the right, and you will see the driveway. The first view of the house is always amazing."

She grinned excitedly once again, waiting breathlessly. As soon as she spotted the drive, and he began to turn into it, she looked up...

And stared.

It was... _magnificent._

"Oh... gods... it's so beautiful! You live here?" she managed to get out.

"Again," he said with amusement, _ "we _live here."

_So beautiful..._

She was facing a traditional japanese _castle_.

It was gorgeous, obviously old, though not overly huge, it had two stories, and the grounds it sat in were designed to draw attention to it.

And she'd never even known this was here.

Most estates like this were now government owned, and used as showcases, many attracting tourists the world over. Few of them now remained, and none that she'd ever known of were _privately _held.

It was amazing.

She turned to look at him as he got out of the car and joined her before the doors. "How have you kept this secret?" she asked, awed.

"I am a very private person - as is Sesshoumaru. He also owns an estate like this."

"Where does he live?"

"Outside Kyoto."

Kagome frowned. _He hasn't said anything about Inuyasha... _"Mattaki?"

He cocked a brow, obviously waiting, and she gathered her courage. "What happened to Inuyasha and Kikyou?" she almost whispered.

"Nothing," he smiled, "they are on vacation right now, and due back in a few days. They live in Osaka, but they'll be stopping by here for a day or two before heading home."

She smiled at that, relieved. "So, they are both still alive then. Good!"

"Hanyou he may be, but my blood is strong. He doesn't look much older than he did when you knew him, though most, when seeing us together, think us brothers. Not many realize he's my son."

She chuckled at that. "I can imagine." Looking back up at the house, she inhaled deeply, then let it out determinedly. "Well then. Should we get my stuff out of the car?"

He flared his aura, then smiled down at her. "No carrying for you, my dear. One of the servants will be here momentarily, and they can carry it all in."

She blinked. _Oh... right. Rich - servants. Forgot about that again. This might take some getting used to._

She remained silent while several servants appeared and Mattaki spoke with them, merely continuing her perusal of her new home, and before she knew it, he was taking her arm and leading her inside.

She shivered - his touch sending fire through her veins, but she deliberately squelched that... that was for later.

She swallowed heavily at that thought.

_Later..._

_---_oOo---

A/N: Short, but it gets the point across - the end of the next chapter begins the lemon - y action, and the lemon covers all of chapter 5, and the first part of 6 so... something to look forward to, lol!

Amber


	4. Part Four

**Part 4**

---oOo---

_Later_ came a lot quicker than she'd thought it would.

After taking her to the rooms they would now share, along with the servants bearing her luggage, they quickly got her settled in, and then went down to share a light dinner.

Once the meal was done, he showed her around the grounds a bit, especially some of the lovely gardens as they walked in the cool early evening air.

It was magical - and highly romantic.

_He probably did this to calm me - I'm glad he did, because I'm really nervous... _she frowned to herself for a moment, _though it's only because I don't have any experience. Virginal fear. _She blushed.

Mattaki kept his gaze forward, though he was well aware of where her thoughts lay, and her virginal nerves. It was endearing - and something that pretty much every woman went through, like a right-of-passage.

A small smile tilted one corner of his mobile mouth.

"What is it that you fear?" he asked, as he tilted his head and looked at the darkening sky.

Kagome paused in her step, caught a little off-guard at his perceptiveness, though she knew she shouldn't have been, after all, a great deal of emotion was shown in scent - Inuyasha had always been good about sniffing out how she'd felt about things, though he hadn't been as good at _dealing_ with her swiftly changing emotions.

Her pause in step became a full halt as he also stopped, and she smiled a bit uncertainly.

Turning his head to look down at her, he sighed lightly, and smiled back at her. "If you have decided that you wish to wait, I will not push you, Kagome. I have waited this long - I can wait longer."

Brilliant red shot into her cheeks; Kagome couldn't answer at first as she thought about what he was saying. Part of her, she would admit, wanted her to accept that offer - to put off the encounter.

But it was the smaller part - the larger part encouraged her to go for it... not to mention, Kagome had never let her fears stop her before, and she wasn't about to let them now.

"No," she sighed, "I'm just scared a little - but I won't let that stop me."

An elegant brow met his bangs; _I always admired that spirit of hers. _"Are you certain that you do not feel it is too soon for you?"

She shook her head. "No... I feel as if I've known you forever. I suppose, in a way, I have." She chuckled wryly. "My life has been so intimately entwined with time; yet I understand it so little, you know? But if I learned one thing in my years in the past, it was acceptance. Sometimes, we just shouldn't ask questions. Do I understand how you spent three hundred years courting me on your end of the dreams, and yet it was only two weeks for me? Nope. But I don't need to."

She shrugged - Mattaki understood the gesture.

"I see. You accept this aspect of the unbelievable, because sometimes, all that is really needed is faith."

Kagome nodded. With a quick smile at him, she began walking again - he followed. "Yes. The thing is, I already have strong feelings towards you. I don't need to wait because I know that these feelings are not going to _weaken _with time - they'll only get stronger. So why do I need to waste more time worrying about it?"

He looked thoughtful, eyes gleaming in the dark, entrancing the young woman walking with him.

"I understand," he flashed her a quick, mischievous grin, "and I will not deny that I am glad that you do not wish to wait longer. While I could do so were it required, I will admit that it would not be pleasant."

Another blush, a quicksilver laugh; Mattaki was more than captivated by the woman he would soon take to mate. And then, of course, on the morrow - wedding plans. He would honor her in both cultures.

He came to a halt and bowed to her, asking, "Are you ready to head inside, then, koi?"

She knew what he was asking in that as she half-turned to look at him, standing in the now abundant moonlight - it leached all color from him, making him all silver and dark shadows and pale, pale skin... save for luminous gold eyes watching her like a hawk.

With a shiver - he was a predator, she was his prey - she nodded, and he took her arm, leading her back inside her new home without once looking away from her.

---oOo---

_That was intense!_

She breathed a little more freely now - the moment they had stepped into the house, Mattaki had been pulled away to a phone call.

It was Sesshoumaru.

She half-listened as her soon-to-be mate informed his son that he was taking a mate... and just who it was he was mating. She frowned, then.

_You mean, in all the centuries he was waiting, he never told them about this?_

_I wonder why?_

The reaction from the other end of the phone must not have been objectionable, because Mattaki laughed, and seemed perfectly at ease as he finished the call.

"Was he angry?" she asked, wanting to make sure, and the big inu turned to her and smiled, that predatory look returning to his eyes as his met hers.

"No. Surprised? Yes, but not angry."

"Good... I wouldn't want to come between you and your sons."

His expression turned fierce. "You won't. No matter their reactions, they would not be allowed to interfere, just as I did not interfere with their choices."

She nodded, not entirely convinced, but willing to let it go. "Didn't you ever tell them about waiting - and what you were waiting for?"

He moved over to her, taking her arm and leading her from the room towards the staircase. "No. They have occasionally spoken to me about perhaps finding a mate, however, I just put them off by saying that when I found the one worthy of such a position, I would do so. They left it at that."

Something occurred to her, then, and she had to ask. "Mattaki... why me? I kind of don't understand that. I mean... you're you. And I'm just... me. There's nothing that I have to offer you..." she trailed off, for the first time a little uncertain. He was just too beautiful - too masculine - too powerful - too _everything. _She was... not.

Eyes narrowed, he stopped at the top of the staircase and pulled her to him, holding her upper arms. "Who knows why any one person fascinates and draws in another? For me, it is a combination of things. Your scent being one of the first things... it pulls at me, taunts me, tempts me."

She stared at him, mesmerized as his distinctive baritone deepened. His voice was so sexy - he could pull a response from her body just by speaking in that tone. It was a shock to her... she was, after all, an innocent.

"Then there is your strength - you will not be dominated by anyone but the strongest. There is a fire in you that makes _me _burn. Intelligent, kind and beautiful with a purity that hypnotizes in its brilliance - tell me, little miko, what is not to love?"

She shook her head, oddly mute, and he took that opportunity to sweep her up into his arms as he took her back to their chambers.

Almost before she could blink, they were in the rooms and he was closing the doors... and locking them.

Idly, her mind bemused, she realized that while the rest of the castle was_ fully _traditional in its rice paper doors, this one room went against the grain, with heavy wooden western-style locking doors.

Apparently, when he was in here, he wanted no interruptions.

_If I'm gonna be in here, and we're gonna be doing... that... I don't want any interruptions, either. _She swallowed heavily, her heart speeding up as he turned to face her.

Reddening eyes met hers, and her breath hitched - it didn't faze her at all to see him looking so feral and heated - instead, it was setting her blood to burn, raising her own body temperature higher to meet his.

"No. This is not how I want you this first time," he finally breathed out, his eyes narrowing. "This time... I want to take you in the ways of my ancestors - outside, beneath the skies and surrounded by all of nature." He eyed her as she blinked, startled. "Does this surprise you?" he asked roughly. "Remember, I am not human. The blood that flows through me... I am a spirit of nature - youkai - and my blood is wild, untamed. Can you handle that, I wonder?"

There was no denying she was taken aback, but she had to admit... the idea of being outside...

"There won't be anyone around, will there?"

"I would never allow anyone to see my female unclothed, nor watch my mating. It is a vulnerable time. I will take you deep into my lands, to a place that I know. I believe it is a place you will like," he rumbled, his beast very close to the surface now.

Kagome nodded, unable to take her eyes off him, and he stepped forward immediately at her answer, once again sweeping her into his arms along with a blanket folded at the end of the bed, he stepped through the huge window facing onto a private courtyard.

The moment he hit the open air, he flashed into his energy form.

She barely realized they were outside before he was setting her down in a small clearing ringed by tall trees. There was the tinkle of a small stream dancing in the air, and the scent of many nightblooming evening glories - better known as moonflowers.

She looked around at her surroundings, entranced - it was a small forest glade, a protected dell.

It was perfect - different, not the average cliche`d claiming - she was surprised... and excited.

Her male could scent exactly that, and with a low growl, he dropped the blanket on the ground without once taking his eyes from her.

At that growl, a deep part of Kagome tightened, and something almost instinctual in her whispered, "Run." Without another thought, she did just that.

Mattaki's eyes widened in shocked surprise - her actions were absolutely the last thing he'd ever expected. She was reacting in the same fashion as an inu female would - he could only surmise that, on a deeply instinctive level, she had picked up a great deal of knowledge about inu from her travels with Inuyasha, and her meetings with Sesshoumaru. After all, inu instincts weren't really all that different than human - it was just that humans had tried to breed their instincts away.

Perhaps they had not succeeded as well as they thought. The idea pleased him.

With that, he figured she'd had enough of a head start, and went after her, his beast pleased and more excited then he'd ever been, despite the fact he'd been mated once before, and married at one point, too.

Sesshoumaru's mother had been an alliance of power for an heir, nothing more, on _either_ side. After Sesshoumaru's birth, they had decided that they truly despised being mated to each other, but both felt trapped - after all, mating was for life.

That was when he'd created Tensaiga.

And after speaking to his son's mother, she was willing to let him kill her, then bring her back, so that they could break the mating bond. She knew that he would keep his word and bring her back to life afterwards - he was honorable. They didn't hate each other, they just couldn't handle remaining mated to each other.

In the end, once she'd been returned to life, it was an amicable enough separation, though Sesshoumaru had been angry about it for a long time after he'd understood what had been done. That's probably why he'd been so enraged about receiving Tensaiga on his father's death.

Izayoi had been different. Human, beautiful, she'd captured his interest, but been too afraid of youkai ways to ever be a true mate; he'd married her in the human fashion, instead. It had been a short marriage, really, before fate had torn them apart, but it had been happy.

Now, though, the fates had gotten it right. Kagome was human, undeniably, but strong, more than capable of being a true mate in the youkai fashion, and possessed of a scent any inu would easily be entranced by.

And this time, there would be no need for an exotic escape route as he'd needed with Sesshoumaru's mother.

_This _time, he was pleased it was for life - if he could, he'd bind her to him for eternity, not just life.

Maybe he could find a way - but that was for later.

For now, he would be content to chain her to him for this lifetime.

---oOo---

A/N: Next chapter, and the first part of 6, is all lemony activity - but since the lemon crossed both chapters, I won't make ya'll wait through a lemony cliffie, I'll post both chapters in one day. As for the whole reason that he had Tensaiga created... I always wondered what caused the great Dog General to create such a sword... and this idea came to me and I just had to run with it - I hadn't seen it done before so...

Hope everyone enjoys!

Amber


	5. Part Five

**Part 5**

---oOo---

Kagome ran, heedless of her surroundings, glorying in the feel of the night air against her skin, and the rush of her blood through her veins.

She knew she was not responding as most humans would, and deep down, her human consciousness was a bit confused - but she ignored that part, and followed through with what her instincts were telling her.

It felt right, and it felt good - and she was not harming anyone with her actions, so there was nothing to fear.

She also was well aware that as an inu, Mattaki would _greatly _enjoy the chase - it would speak to him on a level that his beast would revel in. That would only make this night better, in her opinion, anyway.

Breathing deeply, but not yet heavily, she came to a halt, letting her legs rest as she used all her senses to try to figure out where he was. Human senses being admittedly weak, she had another to fall back on - her reiki. Powerful, and deadly if she so chose, her aura blanketed everything for hundreds of yards around herself, and it honed in on the one chasing her immediately.

He was not far off, stalking her slowly, not running, and she grinned - this was intoxicating in a way she'd never felt before, and once again, she took off, only slower this time. Instead of running, she chose to drench the area around her in her scent and reiki, making it difficult to track her.

She was curious to see what he would do.

Mattaki came to a halt as her scent trail spread out to surround him; his beast growled approvingly as he realized what she was doing - now it wasn't a chase, it was a _hunt. _

_She is perfect, _he howled inwardly. _She is deliberately baiting my blood - I cannot wait to mount her!_

Switching gears, his eyes reddening further as he let his instincts take command, he poured his youki out and tracked her heat - when she let her reiki out as she had, it served to confuse his senses - but she could still be tracked by the heat her power generated. As it spread out away from her, the inherent warmth cooled, leaving the hottest spots as a trail leading straight back to her.

_Clever bitch... but you cannot fool me!_

He sped up, moving stealthily after her, determined to capture her and begin the mating - it was time. Five hundred years and a hunt later, he was at his limit - he would wait no more.

But Kagome wasn't done yet; she was going to make him work for it. By the time he caught her, he'd be just as frantic as she herself was getting.

Moving ahead, she caught the tinkle of water again, and dropping her clothing swiftly, she left herself in only her bra and panties, and leapt into the water, just as she pulled her aura into herself tightly.

The moment she did that, her heat signature disappeared, and left a dead end of scent and heat going straight to her clothes.

She knew that it wouldn't fool him for more than a few minutes - he'd know what she'd done, but he might choose to take the wrong direction after her. Even if he did, though, he'd figure it out within a very short time, and then he'd simply turn and be on her.

The instant she hit the water, she shivered, moving as quietly but as swiftly as possible, leaving her clothes behind with no qualms. After about fifty feet, near as she could tell, she left the stream and got out on the opposite bank from where she'd entered, and took off at a run again, knowing that he would have her soon.

She could feel his expanded youki bearing down on her, and the strong excitement clouding it. Her instincts had been right - this chase and hunt, though not lasting long, had definitely been more than enjoyable to him - as well as her.

She barely finished that thought before she was pulled back into a very excited male body, and instantly, he had her in a submission hold, fangs buried against the flesh of her neck as he growled, demanding that she submit.

He'd chased her and caught her... it was his win, and she had to acknowledge it. With a tiny whimper, she let her head slide limply to the side, submitting to him and accepting him as her alpha, her mate.

In the moment that she did that, his growl changed, dropping into a deeper register, and smoothing slightly, the sound seductive, sinful. Her knees immediately gave out, and he scooped her back up, darting back to the little glade he'd first brought her to, and the blanket he'd left there.

---oOo---

Settling her back on her feet still facing away from him, he pressed himself tightly against her as he nuzzled once more into her neck, relishing her scent that hung heavily in the air.

He'd been shocked again when she'd so swiftly disappeared on him, then he'd found her clothing - and the flames had almost burned away his mind when he realized that she was now almost naked. Her little trick had actually fooled him for a couple minutes as the water dispelled her scent and he picked the wrong direction to chase her down.

Once he'd realized that, he'd instantly changed course, moving swiftly, patience gone. He wanted her, and he wanted her _now._

Within moments, he'd had her, and she'd not fought him any further, immediately submitting.

_It seems that the hunt and the chase excites her, too... I'll have to remember this, _he thought, allowing himself to drown in her heated scent. _Taste... I need to taste her..._

He followed that thought, licking against her flesh and down her spine as he held her upper arms still at her side, reveling in her heated whimper as her head fell back and her hair draped down over him as he stooped to reach the small of her back. With a light nip, he straightened back up, trailing his tongue straight back up its original path

_Delicious... _his eyes flashed completely crimson in that moment as his beast forced his higher consciousness aside.

The _inu_ was now in control, and Kagome was about to have the wildest night of her life.

Growling deeply, he let go of her, ripping his own clothing from his body, before taking her arm and turning her to face him.

Two sets of eyes wandered as bodies froze, each taking in the form of the other.

Kagome was in little better shape than Mattaki; never let it be said that humans don't have an animalistic side, because they do, and Kagome had reached it some time ago. She was just as feral as he was by that time, and the sight before her only deepened that state.

Pale, flawless skin stretched tautly over a perfectly muscled frame that a god would have envied, and Kagome's breath hitched when she realized that those stripes on his cheeks were echoed in various _strategic_ locations, his hips and ankles the most prominent of these.

However, the part of him that pulsed with need, was what drew her attention the most, and she was almost panting with need and fear as she took in his sheer _size._

It wasn't that it was monstrous - but it _was_ larger than most humans. Once her virginity was breached, she'd certainly appreciate that fact, but right at this point, it had the simple effect of freezing her, catching her between two opposing, and equally powerful, needs.

The need to feel him within her, and the need to run from the fear of the pain it would surely cause.

Mattaki was no fool, and wasted no time in taking advantage of that moment of frozen immobility, reaching towards her and _shredding _her only remaining articles of clothing, leaving her naked before him for the very first time.

It was his turn to freeze - the sight was the most powerfully arousing thing he'd ever seen, and it was something that he would _never _forget.

Slender, shapely, she looked as though she'd been cast from a perfect mold, bearing proud and straight, breasts that were high and firm, flat abdomen leading into a tiny waist, flared hips, and shapely thighs.

Naked, her legs looked even longer than they did when she was clothed - they went on _forever_, and at the top, a shadowed cleft that beckoned him, called to him, _seduced_ him completely.

He had found his nirvana.

"Kagome," he called to her, voice guttural, deep. "Come to me..." he held out his hand to her, beckoning her, and his call was powerful as his youki pressed down on her, taking her over, pulling her to him as one magnet is pulled to another.

The moment their bodies touched fully for the first time would be burned into their minds forever - even death wouldn't be able to erase the sheer passion that erupted in that moment between them - it was visible to the naked eye as youki and reiki exploded in a brilliant show of light and dark power that alternately lit and darkened the clearing around them.

Instantly, his mouth was on hers, and he devoured her, sweeping in and memorizing the taste of her mouth as she wrapped herself around him so tightly that even the air fled from between them.

Finally, long moments later, Kagome ripped her mouth away from his, desperately drawing air into her starved lungs as her head fell back and Mattaki trailed his fangs down her throat, nipping at her pulse and groaning deep in his chest at the taste and scent and feel of her, and the visual of her once again submitting so sweetly, so willingly to him.

"You are my goddess, my mate, my _weakness_," he growled into the flesh of her neck, "my passion for you knows no bounds, woman." It sounded as though that had been ripped from the darkest part of his soul, as though his dark blood was admitting something dangerous.

"Mattaki," she whimpered, her hands making their way to his back as she clawed him, her own deeply hidden, shadowed nature coming out to play, lured out of its cage of purity by the call of the wild, untamed beast in her arms. His name was her acknowledgment - she was incapable of more than that by this point.

Her eyes were wild, desire-ridden pools of sapphire, her chest heaving as he licked deadly paths down it; one hand came up to cup and fondle a breast at the same moment a dangerously fanged mouth closed over the other tightly furled nipple, and she arced into him with such force that he stumbled. With a snarl, he dropped them both to the blanket below without releasing her breasts from his captivity.

Kagome's mind was consumed by white hot heat, she trembled, shivered, and cried in the passion that was devouring her from the inside out. He called to her soul, and it answered, flaring around them and stroking his own, just as she stroked his body, touching everything she could reach as he did the same to her.

The inu in her arms was just as lost to the devastating passion as she was - though this was not his first time, it had been over seven hundred years since he had lain with a woman, and that may as well have _made_ it his first time.

It wasn't long before he moved on from her breasts, trailing down across her trembling belly, and though, somewhere in his mind a part of him was telling him to slow down and tease her more, he couldn't bring himself to avoid the part of her where her scent was strongest any longer.

With all the force of a tsunami he fell on her, parting her thighs and growling ferally even as he bent his head and sipped from her, worshipping her chalice as she screamed into the night.

It was hot, sinful, _right_, and he longed to bury himself within her for all time - curl into her and live inside her forever, just as she wanted to pull him in and shelter him.

It was so powerful because it was mutual, and neither could ever deny that simple fact.

Neither would ever want to.

Hands clenched in the fabric of the blanket, every sense she possessed focused on his mouth and the feel of it against her most private flesh, Kagome's untested, untried body arched against him as the first of a lifetime of orgasms broke over her, shattering her in a tidal wave of bliss that seemingly had no beginning, and no end.

As the intensity died a little, her body relaxed just enough, and Mattaki pulled himself up, no longer able to stop himself from taking what was his to take.

Kagome opened eyes she hadn't even realized had fallen closed, and was instantly drawn into crimson orbs glowing above her as he waited for her attention to settle on him - he wanted to watch eternity open in her eyes as he took her as his heaven, his refuge, his mate.

He wanted to see _himself _in her eyes as they became one creation, one being.

With one, single thrust, he found forever.


	6. Part Six

**Part 6**

---oOo---

Crimson faded as Kagome convulsed in passion and pain, white taking over her vision as she almost passed out from the conflicting messages to a mind unable to process anything more than the barest minimum of information.

It was agony and ecstasy, all in one, and she cried into the night as her lover burrowed into her until hip met hip - he could go no further, and as the scent of virgin's blood hit his nose, he stopped, holding himself still as she adjusted to him.

It took all his patience to hold himself so still, but finally, her muscles loosened from a stranglehold to an unbearably arousing clench, and she inhaled on a moan as he flexed within her, testing the new fit.

When he realized that she was no longer in pain, he began moving, slowly, pacing himself as her flesh stroked him so sweetly - it was brilliant, dark, hot and wet inside her, and his head lowered to her shoulder as his arms came around her and burrowed beneath to hold her to him tightly.

He was unable to squelch a needy whine as she began to move with him, her untested but talented body quickly picking up on the rhythm he was establishing for them.

It made Kagome tighten, thrilled that he responded so hotly to her - that he could not control his responses.

For endless seeming minutes the two moved together, the music of the night now accompanied by the symphony of sounds that clearly delineated just what was taking place there in the glade. Moans, groans, growls, grunts, and flesh hitting flesh echoed through the area; Mattaki listened to it all as he breathed her and the scent of their mating in.

It was an aphrodisiac potent and welcome to the inu, and suddenly, he wanted a visual accompaniment as well. Without even breaking his pattern of thrusts, he rolled, placing her above him.

"Sit up, Kagome, I wish to watch you," he groaned heatedly, pleased when she responded instantly, shifting between one heartbeat and the next.

He sped up as she did, a new ferocity in his thrusts - his end was coming, as was hers, and minutes more passed by in a seeming instant as they took from each other all that could be taken, sharing the pleasure as it spun between them over and over, creating an endless loop that was welcomed by both.

His eyes glazed over with an ancient lust as she undulated sinuously above him, her breasts bouncing with hypnotic eroticism, and his breath was trapped in his lungs at the sight of his woman riding him so passionately.

He thrust up, hard, in response, at the same time as he gripped her hips and slammed her down, impaling her deeply on him; it was her turn to lose her breath as her second orgasm caught her by surprise, sending her voice soaring into the night.

She clenched above him, tightening down until he was locked within her, unable to move, the sheer pressure of her orgasm around him literally _forcing_ his own, stripping his seed from his body without mercy, without warning.

A ringing, triumphant howl pierced the night as his vision inverted; then the sound died and he blacked out momentarily as she slumped against him, lost to consciousness as well.

As his vision, and his mind, returned to him, he stared up into the night sky and watched as the yin and yang of his power, and hers, formed into one bright crescendo of light - then almost dove back down, drenching their claims on each other into their bodies - and souls.

There was no longer a way to separate them save death.

Kagome stirred above him after a few minutes, and he responded by wrapping his arms around her tightly, holding his mate to him while he continued to spill himself deep into her belly.

By power, and scent, she was his, just as he was hers.

She could feel him within her, in more than one way as she came awake, and Kagome was shaky with the feel of it. It was powerful, and bright, his touch, and she raised her head after a moment, to once more meet his eyes.

He rolled them softly to their sides, tenderly brushing her sweat-damped curls back from her face, and smiled at her. "I am yours, Kagome," he said softly, his voice still slightly rough from passion. "We are one. It is all I have wanted for so long. Does it please you as well, my koibito?"

Still unable to fully articulate, Kagome nodded. "Yes," she sighed, then her eyelids began to droop as exhaustion finally caught up with her.

Mattaki couldn't help it; he laughed, a deep rumbling sound that made her smile even as her eyes drooped further. Finally disengaging himself from her, he sat up and reached for his discarded pants, dressing himself enough to get by before picking up a now completely asleep Kagome and wrapping her gently in the blanket under her.

With a soft look in once again golden eyes, he brushed a hand against her cheek, then took to the air, heading for home and a soft bed.

_Sleep, my beauty, sleep, and dream no more of me..._

_I will be here when you wake._

---oOo---

Kagome woke slowly, blinking in the morning light that filtered into the room from the wall length windows.

_What...? Where am I?_

For a moment, she forgot yesterday, her mind still sleep-dazed - but then her senses kicked back in, her mind finished waking, and her eyes widened as a red tide washed over her cheeks.

_Oh my god... did I really do all that?! _She was currently being treated to a blow-by-blow re-enactment of her deflowering last night, and she clasped her hands to her heated cheeks in pleasantly shocked surprise.

_I didn't know it could be like that, _was her next thought, and then she noticed the particular absence of her new mate in their bed, and turned over, looking around the room.

Rolling out of bed, she hissed as she landed on her feet - if nothing else, the soreness between her thighs proved that last night was definitely no dream.

_Ouch!_ she whimpered inwardly, her face scrunching up in pain. _Hopefully that goes away soon..._

She stepped gingerly over to the doors leading into the bathroom and turned on the shower, setting it to broil before stepping into the flow of hot water, almost moaning at how good it felt. Although she would have liked to stand there forever, she decided to wash quickly and go find her other half.

Minutes later, washed, dressed, and feeling a bit more lively, she stepped out of their room and headed for the stairs to the main level. Just as she reached them, she heard voices echo in the downstairs hall, and then Mattaki's distinctive baritone answer.

_Who's that? _she wondered with a frown - her mate sounded a bit surprised. _Were we supposed to have company today? _

As she reached the hall below, Mattaki stepped out of one of the rooms, calling, "I will be back momentarily," over his shoulder. He turned and caught sight of her instantly, and a smile lit his features immediately as he slid the door shut and walked over to her.

"Kagome," he murmured. "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, her own smile breaking out at the sight of his, although she also flushed just a little at the barely suppressed memories of the night before.

Entranced at the soft look in her eyes, and the sweet blush on her fair skin, he leaned down and captured her lips with his, slowly drinking from her as passion once more stirred at the loving caress.

The door to the room he'd just exited sliding open pulled them apart, and a voice Kagome hadn't expected stunned her as Mattaki turned his head.

"Oi, dad! Oh, there you a--" he broke off in a shocked surprise of his own as he saw just who was standing within the circle of his father's arms.

"Ka... Kagome...?" he stuttered, completely floored.

Mattaki reluctantly let her step away, and turned to face his son as Kikyou stepped from the room to stand behind her mate, just as surprised as he was at sight of the miko of their past.

"Inuyasha, Kikyou... Kagome needs no introduction to you two, but you will welcome her as my new mate."

The words fell like shattering glass into a stark silence, and Kagome sighed heavily - this wasn't going to go well, she could already tell.

"Hello, Inuyasha, Kikyou - how have you both been?"

---oOo---

"How long?"

Mattaki eyed his son warningly - the boy's tone of voice and his elevated youki telling him that his assessment of his reaction had been correct - Inuyasha was _pissed_.

"What do you mean by that question, Inuyasha?"

A growl forced its way from the hanyou's throat, Mattaki answered immediately with a demanding growl of his own, warning his son to watch his words and actions.

Inuyasha turned a ferocious glare on the miko still standing at his father's shoulder. "You could only just have gotten back through the well in the last couple of weeks - and now I find you mated to my father?! You _bitch_!"

Kagome clenched a fist into her mate's shirt as every muscle in his body tensed; he was going to draw blood on his son if she didn't do something first. Of course, his words had pissed her off enough that she was almost ready to draw blood herself.

Stepping out from behind him, she paced forward determinedly, her miko aura flaring to brilliant life around her as Inuyasha's eyes widened and his ears snapped backwards; he stepped back and eyed her warily.

"It's been two weeks, not that it's any of your _damn _business, Inuyasha! Forgot just how nasty I could be if you pissed me off, did you?" She jerked her eyes to Kikyou, still standing frozen in surprise at the sight of her once rival - and the reaction of the hanyou she was bound to.

"I suggest, Kikyou, that you slap a leash on your mate, before I toss another kotodama around his neck and subdue him for you!" she snapped. "I will not be spoken to that way!

She subsided at her mate's touch on her arm, though she kept an irate gaze pinned on the hanyou and his mate. Before Kikyou could say anything, Mattaki spoke.

"Neither one of you will ever show disrespect to my mate again, is that understood?" His voice was ice, deadly - this was the alpha speaking to those below him; there would be no disobedience on this, or there would be blood.

Clearly still angered, but knowing better than to continue to challenge his father on this issue, Inuyasha choked back his instinctive response and bowed his head, snapping his hand to signal his mate to do the same.

Shaking her head, Kagome sighed. Speaking softly, she asked, "Why are you even angry, Inuyasha? From what I understand, both you and Sesshoumaru have encouraged your father to mate again - do you hate me or something, that you'd get so angry that he chose me?"

In a clipped voice, he said, "Mating is for life, Kagome - father has known you all of two weeks, and suddenly, you're mated?"

Kikyou's brow rose as she nodded coolly. "Indeed. It seems almost as though you were... desperate... to find someone to take you - because you lost Inuyasha to me."

Mattaki growled, quickly becoming enraged, and Inuyasha yanked Kikyou forwards, reprimanding her sharply. She flushed angrily, but backed down.

"You know nothing, woman, do not open your mouth in my home again if you cannot be civil." He turned a sharp gaze on his son, pinning him in place as he pulled Kagome protectively into his arms.

"I have loved Kagome since before I was brought back to life, Inuyasha - did you forget that my consciousness was alive in Tessaiga all that time you traveled together? I have waited five hundred years to make her mine. But I found a way to court her three hundred years ago, creating a dream world for the two of us - so for her and I, the actual courting took three hundred years. You can hardly say that is _too fast_," he snapped acidly.

Inuyasha's eyes had widened and his jaw had dropped open further and further as his father spoke - he didn't know what to say to that, though Kikyou scowled at his words. It was obvious, though she didn't speak, what her thoughts were - she was petty, and had enjoyed her supposed 'win' over Kagome when Inuyasha chose her.

And yet, for all that, the girl had found happiness and was now above her - as Mattaki's mate, she was now alpha female, and though Kikyou had never held that spot, because Rin took precedence over her as Sesshoumaru's mate, she was jealous that she was subordinate to her hated reincarnation.

Mattaki narrowed his eyes on his son's bitch. "I see you have realized your position in this pack, Kikyou - at the _bottom_. Do not cross my mate; you will rue the day that you do."

Kagome turned in the circle of his arms, looking up to meet his eyes, she shook her head. "Maybe we should stop right here - this is only degenerating and there is little point in continuing this. If you want to spend some time with Inuyasha and Kikyou, I'll find something to keep me occupied for a while."

"No. We are newly mated - this is _our_ time. Inuyasha was not supposed to be here until tomorrow afternoon." He shifted his gaze to his son.

"I am disappointed, Inuyasha. I never interfered in your choice of mate, simply accepted it, and yet you could not do the same for me. I think that you should take Kikyou and go home, and we will try this again when we've all had time to cool down."

Shame filtered into Inuyasha's golden gaze at his father's words, and he nodded, turning and taking a still sulking Kikyou by the arm and heading for the front entrance.

No other words were spoken - none were needed.

"I'm sorry," Kagome whispered sadly as the two left the house. "I knew this would happen. Maybe--" she was immediately cut off.

"Stop, Kagome. Inuyasha will get used to it, and one day, we'll laugh about this. As for Kikyou, I don't really care what she thinks - I have never been fond of her. I have been polite for my son's sake, that is all, but I will not continue to be so if she does not learn her place."

Kagome nodded finally, understanding his words, knowing that he was right. She still felt bad, but she determined to put it out of her mind for the time being.

"Okay. So," she breathed in deeply and then exhaled, "what do you want to do today?"


	7. Part Seven: Epilogue

**Part 7 - Epilogue**

---oOo---

Mattaki looked out over the shrine grounds with a pensive smile.

It had been six months since he'd taken Kagome as his, and he'd had no cause to regret it. She was everything he'd known she would be, and he loved her more with every smile.

Not that they didn't have their fights - they were both stubborn, strong-willed alpha's - but they always made up, usually within a few hours, because neither was able to remain angry at the other for any length of time.

His gaze traveled over the assorted guests and landed on Kagome, who was talking quite animatedly to some family member or other, and Rin.

While Kikyou kept away from Kagome, Rin and she had picked right up where they'd left things in the feudal era. Even then, they'd been fond of each other, though it was different now, of course, since Rin was an adult - one much, much older than Kagome.

They'd become almost inseparable, and he was really happy for that, because it meant that his relationship with Sesshoumaru had grown even more since her advent into his life.

He'd always loved his son, but with past circumstances, things had been strained between them for a very long time. Even after his return to life, they hadn't been as close as he'd have liked.

That had finally happened. Kagome just had that effect on people - Sesshoumaru was even oddly fond of her, and almost as protective of her as he was of his own mate and children. She was pack.

Kikyou, however, was not, and that had hindered his relationship somewhat with his younger son. That pained him - but not enough that he would give up his mate because his son's mate was such a jealous bitch.

He knew eventually Inuyasha would put her in her place, but things would never be comfortable with Kikyou, no matter what - not unless she changed completely.

As for Kagome's family, he was extremely fond of them. They were wonderful people, and it was more than obvious just where Kagome came by her warm, loving personality. Even her grandfather, with his traditional priest's attitude about youkai, had become a friend - Mattaki was certain that most of his youkai rants were just because he felt that he was following tradition, and not because he was really prejudiced against them.

He was pulled from his thoughts as his eldest son approached him.

Sesshoumaru hadn't changed all that much from what he'd been like in the feudal era - he was still stoic and controlled - just less so, and his violent tendencies had calmed.

He'd also given up on the whole 'Supreme Conquest' idea - round about the time he'd mated Rin. She'd bluntly informed him that she had no desire to rule anything more than his home, and that if he was determined to conquer the world, he could do it alone.

That had ended that, as Sesshoumaru had already been _quite_ aware that he'd rather lose the Western Lands than Rin, let alone a world that was getting along very well without his help.

He smiled at his son as Sesshoumaru bowed his head to him. "Father. Though she is already your mate, I offer congratulations from both Rin and I on your marriage." He looked over to where his own mate and wife stood with Kagome, then looked back at him.

"You chose well... I know I have said that before - but I would reiterate. I always took Inuyasha for a fool for his choice of the dead one over her. But I think now that it was for the best - she would never have been happy with him."

Mattaki nodded as he thought that over. He had to admit, after forcing himself to look at it subjectively, Sesshoumaru was correct. Inuyasha was still, even now, quite immature - it seemed to be a permanent state with him - and Kagome was not. She had been young when she'd met him, but she had grown up while he had not, and he and his behavior would have quickly driven her crazy.

"You are correct, Sesshoumaru. They would not have suited." A frown forked his brow lightly for a moment. "Sometimes, though..." he sighed deeply, then finished, "I wonder if I was right to take her for myself. Can she really be happy with me for _my _lifetime? It is... a long time."

To say that Sesshoumaru was caught off-guard at that question was an understatement - for the first time in his entire _life_, he felt the need to reach up and pound his sire on the back of his head. He could not _believe_ that he would really question the miko's devotion to him.

"Is it her that you do not trust - or is it yourself?"

Eyes widening in surprise, he turned to stare at his son, completely taken aback. _Trust...? He thinks that I do not trust in her? _He closed his eyes, then, as the realization of Sesshoumaru's words washed over him, and he opened his eyes back up and met his son's gaze somewhat sheepishly. _It is not her..._

"And that is proof that no matter how venerable and wise a being gets, he will still have a fool hiding somewhere within. Thank you, my son."

The younger daiyoukai chuckled, his expression lightening somewhat as he showed his amusement at his sire's words. "You are welcome, father." With a cocked head in the direction of their wives, he asked, "Should we go fetch our females before they forget we exist?"

He grinned back at his son and clapped him lightly on the back. "Perhaps we should - after all, I have a honeymoon to look forward to, but if she gets too caught up in her talk with Rin..." he trailed off mischievously, not needing to finish.

"Not likely, father - I may not have gotten married today, but I _also_ have plans with my mate that do not include spectators."

With matching lascivious glints in golden eyes, the Taisho males moved towards their respective other halves.

---oOo---

Inuyasha watched his father from across the shrine grounds, and something ached within him as he easily caught the lustful glances he sent Kagome - his new wife.

It was something that he had not expected - these jealous feelings aimed at his father's relationship with Kagome.

He'd always had feelings for her, but they weren't as strong as what he felt for Kikyou. Or at least, the Kikyou that he'd known _before _she died. He hadn't been able to face the knowledge that she was not the same after her resurrection, and so, when Kagome had wished her back to life, he'd eagerly mated her.

That had proven to be rather foolish, because the truth was, Kikyou was still not the same as she once had been... it took several decades for his rather slow mind to realize why. Everything good that had existed within Kikyou had moved on at her death - into Kagome. All that was left in _this_ Kikyou was the petty, nasty parts of her soul. And the wish had made that her permanent soul - Kagome had a large enough one to lose that piece with no negative side-effects to herself.

But by the time he'd had that little epiphany, it was too late, and over the centuries, he'd managed to dig up enough fondness for his mate to make life bearable.

Until he'd seen Kagome again.

And then to find out that she was his father's... the anger, pain, and sheer jealousy almost knocked him sideways. Even now, six months later, it hadn't abated.

So he did the only thing he could - he stayed away as much as possible.

His father's strengthening relationship with his other son also widened the rift. While there was no longer a desire to kill each other, and they could get along decently enough for short periods of time, they would never be close.

_Keh. So while I distance myself from father, and Kagome, Sesshoumaru only gets closer to them. And all I have to show for it is a petty, spiteful mate._

As he watched his father and brother interact, then move as one towards their wives, he sighed almost bitterly.

If he could go back in time and kick his own ass, he would.

Then it would be himself mated and married to Kagome, and life would offer so much more happiness than it now did.

And the hell of it was, he only had himself to blame.

---oOo---

Two months later, Kagome smiled over at her mother, practically bouncing in excitement, trying to remain patient as they waited for the results of the test.

She had gone to visit her mother while Mattaki took care of some business for the day, and had spoken to her of her suspicions. Her mother, absolutely thrilled, had immediately taken her to the nearest pharmacy, and they had picked out the best pregnancy test available on the market.

Now, they were back at the shrine, and awaiting the results.

If they were positive...

_I hope I am - it would be something wonderful to be able to tell Mattaki!_

The timer went off, and Kagome was out of her chair like a shot and heading for the bathroom while her mother laughed behind her. When she got to the bathroom, she slowed, took a deep breath, and picked up the little test stick, closing her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them, and looking down.

The excited, joyful scream echoed through the whole house.

_"Yes!!!" _

_And the dream of grandchildren is finally coming true, _her mother thought, throwing her arms around her precious daughter and hugging her happily.

She pulled back, and with a wink, asked, "So... how do you plan to tell that handsome husband of yours the news, dear?"

---oOo---

Mattaki sighed as he reached home, glad to be done with the business he'd been called away from his mate over.

He was an antique dealer and appraiser - after all, he'd actually lived through all those ages, and knew what he was doing. He could spot a fake a mile away, and he had a reputation that showed that.

This time, a museum had called him out to verify a certain piece's authenticity, as it had been called into question - rightly, as it turned out. The museum had, indeed, been gipped, and spent a tidy sum on the fake artifact, to boot.

_Whoever created it did a beautiful job, but still... _

He sighed as he came in sight of the house, and with a smile, parked and made his way inside. Sniffing lightly, he searched out his mate's scent... he'd missed her.

A light frown touched his brow, _what is that strange edge to her scent? It's been there for several days, now..._

"Mattaki!" He was pulled from his thoughts by his mate's happy assault on his person, and he had to smile. She was always so full of joy - she was his light. He wouldn't want to ever go back to a time without her in his life.

He pulled away after a moment, grinning down at her, then noted that she appeared ready to go out. "Are you going somewhere, Kagome?" he asked, brow cocked.

She shook her head. "No, _I'm_ not going somewhere, but _we_ are."

Not sure he really wanted to leave again, he asked, "Where is it that you are wanting to go, my dear?"

She practically beamed at him, then. "Into the city - I'd really like to visit Tokyo Tower tonight - it's supposed to be an exceptionally clear night," she said coaxingly, and he sighed. When she looked at him like that, he couldn't deny her anything.

"Very well, love - but perhaps I may be allowed to change, first?"

She stepped back and shooed him off. "Well, hurry up then. I'll be waiting in the car."

He shook his head, bemused, as she almost bounced out the doors, and wondered what had put her in such a good mood.

He would soon be finding out for himself.

---oOo---

By the time they actually stood atop Tokyo Tower, night had well fallen, and it was already rather late in the evening. Once they'd reached the city limits, Kagome had decided that she was hungry, so he'd taken her to dinner before heading for the tower.

He was sure that something was up with her. All through the evening, she'd been overly excited, like a kid who'd had too much sugar, but he wasn't sure why.

Perhaps it was time to find out.

"Kagome..." he said softly, coming to stand behind her as she stared out happily across the city, "tell me... what has you so excited? Why did you want to come up here, really?" He leaned his head down and nuzzled her, his hands coming up to cup her arms and rub up and down them.

She leaned her head into him with a smile, and he pulled her to him tighter, sliding his arms around her waist to curl her into himself.

Her hands came down to cover his, and she said, "I wanted to show you how I feel, and this is the only thing I could think of."

His breath huffed over her ear, inciting shivers down her spine. "How you feel?"

She could hear the question in his voice. "Yes. I feel like I'm on top of the world." She turned in his arms then, looking up to meet his gaze, and he noted the silver of a single tear sliding down her cheek.

Concerned, he frowned, but her scent showed nothing but happiness. He opened his mouth to say something, but she pressed her fingers over his lips.

"You've given me everything, Mattaki, and now it's my turn to give_ you _something..." she closed with him, nuzzling along his nose with her own for a moment, then pulling away just slightly to meet his eyes, she finished with, "I'm pregnant, mate."

His eyes widened and he pulled back to stare at her, shocked. _That edge to her scent... that's what it was! _ "You carry," he breathed. "This... it is the best gift that you could ever have given me, Kagome." Caught up in the moment, he closed the distance between his lips and hers, and pressed her to open for him. He needed to _taste_ her.

Overjoyed at his reaction, Kagome immediately parted her lips, moaning into his mouth as he swept in and loved every inch of her mouth with his own.

_On top of the world, _was his last hazy thought before passion took over. _Yes... now that I have her, I_ am _on top of the world. _

_The dreams are over... because they have all come true._

---oOo---

A/N: And that's the end, folks! Like I said at the beginning, this was just a short romance, plain and simple. Hope everyone enjoyed it, just the same.

Amber


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